Your pension in their hands

You may have noticed exec members on early morning missions last week, trying to get the vote out in UCU’s consultative ballot over action to preserve our pensions. And the maelstrom surrounding the USS pension valuation seems to be strengthening, even since the discussion we had with senior management at the October JNC.

At the meeting we were shown a draft press release explaining in more detail the University’s response to the employers’ consultation, which we assume will be forthcoming soon.

Over the weekend more information has emerged about political meddling in the valuation, that goes beyond even the Pension Regulator’s letter to USS, published in the Financial Times on Friday. Henry Tapper, one of First Actuarial (UCU’s auditors) blogged about the whole sorry business yesterday – showing that Frank Field (Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee), the Pensions Regulator, UUK, and USS have been involved in correspondence over the summer, trying to shore up all their individual interests in the matter. As Henry points out, though, the only missing voice in this conversation is ours – the future pensioners.

Mike Otsuka, one of UCU’s most active pensions experts, is advocating a way out of this conundrum, that has the ideological support from the actuarial working for both UUK and UCU: a scheme that relies on discretionary targets rather than promises that he explains here.

UCU members have until 18 October to vote in the consultative ballot. If you have not received your ballot email, or have lost it, you can get another here. We strongly recommend that you vote YES, that you are prepared to take industrial action to save our pensions. If you are not yet a member of UCU, you still have time to join, and to vote in the ballot: click here to join online, or for information on how you can join over the phone.

We are holding a General Meeting on 24 October at Highfield, after the UCU consultative ballot has closed. Mike Otsuka has supplied us with some materials, and we are trying to arrange for an additional speaker. We understand that some members at outlying campuses may not be able to attend, so we will do what we can to help: we can certainly circulate the meeting materials, and if you can help us with room booking, we will do our best to come to you.